Muharram — The Sacred Month and Ashura
Suggest editMuharram: A Sacred Month
Muharram (المحرم) is the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar and one of the four sacred months (al-ashhur al-hurum) in which fighting was prohibited in pre-Islamic Arabia and which Islam affirmed in their sanctity. Allah says: 'Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve months in Allah's register, the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred' (9:36). The four sacred months are Dhul Qa'dah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. The Prophet described Muharram as 'Allah's month,' indicating a special divine honor. Good deeds are multiplied in reward in sacred months, and sins are more grave.
The Fast of Ashura: Its Origin
The tenth day of Muharram, called Ashura, carries the greatest religious significance within the month. When the Prophet arrived in Madinah, he found the Jews fasting on this day. He asked why, and was told it was because Allah had saved Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) and the Children of Israel from Pharaoh on this day, and Musa fasted in gratitude. The Prophet said: 'We have more right to Musa than you,' and he fasted that day and commanded fasting it (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). Later, when asked about fasting on the ninth of Muharram in addition to the tenth, the Prophet intended to do so in the following year — though he passed away before it arrived. Scholars deduce from this that the recommended practice is to fast the ninth and tenth together (or the tenth and eleventh), to distinguish Muslim observance from that of the Jews. The fast of Ashura expiates the sins of the previous year (Sahih Muslim).
The Historical Events of Muharram
The month of Muharram holds great historical significance in Islamic history beyond the exodus of Musa. Hijri year 61 (680 CE) saw the Battle of Karbala on the tenth of Muharram, in which Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet, was killed along with members of his family and companions at the hands of the forces of Yazid ibn Muawiyah. This tragedy is one of the most painful events in early Islamic history and has been commemorated differently across Muslim communities ever since.
Sunni and Shia Observances: A Clear Distinction
It is important to distinguish clearly between the established Sunni observance of Ashura and the Shia commemoration of Karbala. The Sunni observance consists of fasting on the ninth and tenth (or tenth and eleventh) of Muharram — a practice rooted in the Prophetic Sunnah long before Karbala occurred. This fast is a Sunnah mu'akkadah (emphasized recommended practice) with clear hadith basis and expiation of sins as its reward. The Shia commemoration is a different practice entirely, centered on mourning Husayn's martyrdom through lamentation, processions, and — in some communities — acts of self-flagellation. Scholars of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah hold that these mourning practices are not established by the Sunnah and are not sanctioned. The Prophet specifically prohibited wailing over the dead and tearing of clothes as forms of mourning. Muslims are encouraged to grieve the tragedy of Karbala as a historical sorrow while channeling their devotion through what the Prophet actually taught: fasting, not lamentation rituals.
Fasting in Muharram: Recommended Practice
Beyond Ashura, the Prophet encouraged fasting frequently in Muharram. He said: 'The best fasting after Ramadan is Allah's month of Muharram' (Sahih Muslim). This encouragement is general — any voluntary fasting in Muharram is recommended. Scholars note that this hadith places Muharram fasting above Sha'ban fasting, making Muharram the most recommended month for voluntary fasting after Ramadan. The believer who wishes to honor Muharram should fast its tenth day along with the ninth, increase righteous deeds, and reflect on the meaning of divine rescue and gratitude — the essence of the Mosaic connection to Ashura.